The present invention relates generally to the field of media docking stations. More specifically, embodiments of the present invention provide methods and systems for effectively gathering and managing media content at a docking station at enhanced signal strengths for use in a portable media device.
In recent years, with advances in media technology, in particular the developments in digital electronics, more and more mobile media devices are being produced. Consequently, it is more and more likely that media will increasingly be viewed on devices other than personal computers. These new media devices will be either new products, such as email readers and Internet radios, or existing products such as MP3 players and personal digital assistants (“PDAs”), with new features. Generally, the new media devices will be able to access the Internet and most of the devices will be portable, operating either within a wireless home network, or using wireless networks similar to the current wireless phone network. The success of all of the new portable media devices will depend upon the ability to provide desirable media content to the media user that is economical, interesting and of a quality so that the user does not use a less mobile media device, such as a standard personal computer, to access the content.
Mobile media devices have been in the mainstream marketplace for quite a while. For example, hand-held gaming devices have become commonplace ever since the introduction of the original Nintendo Gameboy in the 1980's. More recently, peripherals have been added to handheld gaming devices including: television receivers, multi-player capabilities, external keyboards, larger power supplies, and modems. As well as gaming devices, PDAs have become more commonplace and more complex, mobile televisions have become smaller with better performance and portable email devices have changed business communications.
However, the device that is most likely to become the platform for a mobile media device is the wireless phone. Wireless phones currently offer email, instant messaging and downloadable media, such as graphics, MIDI files and audio files. Today, there are more than 169 million wireless phone subscribers in the United States. In previous years, industry experts have predicted that wireless phone sales were close to or had reached a saturation point. However, in recent years, a multitude of new features have been added to the basic wireless phone design to entice consumers to make new wireless phone purchases and sign-up for wireless provider plans. Therefore, today wireless phones that provide internet access or contain cameras make up a significant and growing percentage of the overall wireless phone market. Last year about 9 million camera equipped wireless phones were sold in the United States. And this year it is expected that another 28 million camera equipped wireless phones will be sold. Additionally, worldwide 60 million camera wireless phones were sold last year and more than 100 million are expected to be sold this year
Today consumers expect more features on their wireless phones. These features may be for convenience, such as electronic address books and calendars, or leisure, such as electronic games and cameras. It is predicted that the next generation of wireless phones will be a combination of phones, PDAs, digital cameras and handheld gaming devices. In fact, thanks to the digital revolution the feature set of wireless phones has increased to include extras such as games, music players, and text messaging. Future wireless phones might not look radically different from existing wireless phones, but what they will enable users to do will change significantly. It is expected that future wireless phones will include the following features: high-speed data access, Wi-Fi functionality, and high-quality video cameras. Additionally, the ability to store files and documents will mean that the wireless phone may essentially become a desktop computer.
With the recent developments in portable/handheld media devices there now exists in the marketplace a need for effectively providing the new portable media devices with media content. Currently, media content is provided to a user by playing the content back from a memory card on which it is stored. The memory cards storing the media content may be purchased with the content already stored or a wireless phone and/or portable media device user may use their personal computer and/or other recording device to record content to the memory card. These methods of obtaining media content, however, either limit the wireless phone user to the media content that is available on pre-recorded memory cards or requires the user to have the knowledge and accessories to record media content to a memory card.
As described in the co-pending applications, a mobile media device may be adapted to directly receive media content through television tuners, satellite radio receivers, and the like. However, with mobile type devices, the reception of media content may be compromised by the mobility of the mobile media device due to, among other things, signal reception. Additionally, power usage and the ability of the device to contemporaneously receive and manage video content from multiple sources are problems existing in the art. Further, multiple sources of media content exist that a user of a portable media device must connect to and access to download media content.
Consequently, there exists in the art a need for methods and systems for users of portable media devices to derive media content for their portable media devices that address power, signal strength, and media managing issues. It would be advantageous to provide a device for generating media content for mobile media devices that provides for the enhancement of the method of receiving/capturing the media content so that the mobile media device may be provided with high quality media content. Further, it would be desirable to provide user-friendly methods and systems for capturing and managing media content for use on available mobile media devices.